If I ask ex-DP for child maintenance will I be giving away rights?

[mcrlover]

DP and I have just broke up. We have a 1year old DD. He wants to move back to his home country, and is ok to leave DD with me in the UK if we can arrange a regular visiting schedule.

I earn much more than him, so don't know if I should ask him for child maintenance money or not. I'd be entitled to around £400 per month from him.

Specifically, if he does start paying child maintenance will he have more claim over day-to-day decisions/ any future custody arrangement he may decide he wants later if he changes his mind? Or would it make no difference?

I'd rather pay for DD myself and have more custody/responsibility over DD, than claim the maintenance from him.

Is he on the birth certificate?

And are you intending to persue child maintenance via remo (I think it's called, where countries have a reciprocal agreement) as CMS isn't enforceable outside England and wales iirc

Claiming child maintenance has no bearing on the fathers rights or claims

Child maintenance makes no difference to his rights. If he owes it, get him to pay it.

Is he named as father on the birth certificate?

Gingerbread is a good advice website for single parents.

Child maintenance and contact are separate matters. Parents who don’t pay child maintenance still get custody. If his name is on the birth certificate then he has the same father’s rights as a man who has 100% or 0% custody.

You can ask for CM without consequence but if your ex lives abroad, it may be difficult and time consuming to get money from him if he chooses not to pay.

Child maintenance right doesn’t increase or decrease parental responsibility.

No, it makes no difference.

Thanks so much for the advice, that's a relief! Will check out gingerbread too!