Long and complicated. I'm the primary caregiver. Have been for the past 10 years. They went to stay with their dad to get to know him this school year because he had another child on the way and now says he wants to keep them. The man has 7 children. Mine are the only two he sees and he owes...
If paternity is established and joint custody is alloted you can't move outside of 100 miles without his consent. Probably varies state to state though so I'd double check. Without established paternity he has no rights, but this also means no child support.
I had this concern also.
Will the courts grant custody to a parent that can't, according to court records, afford to care for the child/ren due to child support orders for other children? Even though you aren't paying.