step child maintenance

hi i have been married 6 years and just found out he was cheating... he left and moved in with his girlfriend.. now my daughter has been brought up as his own and never known another dad.. he did not adopt her but we did change her name uppon our marriage... he says he dont want to ever see her again and wont pay a penny to me or her... is there anything i can do he has left me without a penny... he emptied our accounts

He isn't liable under CSA/CMEC as he is not her biological father.

However, if you start divorce proceedings you can apply for Maintenace Pending Suit (maintenace for yourself and your child) to provide you with short term help, and can apply for spousal maintenace as part of any final settlement.

Within the finacial settlement under divorce proceedings the court has to consider the needs of any 'child of the family' which emans any child who has beentreated by both of you, during the marriage, as being part of your family. Your daughter would, on what you say, be considered to be a child of the family and so her needs (and any restrictions which looking after her places on your income and eaning capacity) will be relevant in working out what financial settlement will be appropriate between the two of you.