Hopefully (assuming the person is not abusive or otherwise a danger) you can convince the boyfriend to acknowledge paternity. He can do this by signing an acknowledgement of paternity at the child’s birth. This means that the boyfriend admits that he is the child’s father. If the boyfriend denies paternity or is not responsive, you can serve that boyfriend with notice of paternity and financial responsibility. You can do this by contacting a local office of child support enforcement. The agency will work with you in helping to establish paternity. The agency will initiate court proceedings on your behalf that require the boyfriend to submit to a paternity test. If the test determines he is the father of the child, then the agency can initiate action to help you obtain child support.