This has never been officially confirmed, but there are several indications that Tartah was abandoned by his family. Or perhaps they have unofficially cut off contact with him.
Although he isn't studying under any teacher yet, Tartah lives only with his grandfather. It's likely that when his Silverwash came to light, Nolnoa was the only family member who didn't give up on him.
What’s more, Nolnoa taking Tartah in caused them to lose a lot of social connections. It got to the point where they had to ask Qifrey's atelier to help run the stall, even though they were just regular customers. They literally had no one else to turn to for help.
It’s a very subtle and easy to overlook, but it starkly illustrates just how cruel society can be toward someone who had no control over their condition and also toward those who try to help them.
