Hi, I'm also a single mum - also Australian too. I had a hard time when I got here in January this year. I also thought about leaving. But I found a way to sort it out -I went directly to the Labour Ministry. So long as you have your documents (you and your daughter need your residence permits as well as your marriage certificate etc) you can get permission for a nanny. You can get this permission the same day. Once you have this, you can go to an agency and ask for a nanny who is already oin the country - usually one who has asked to change families. This can avoid the 6 week delay of bringing a nanny here. Or, if there is a nanny that you want to sponsor directly you can do this through the Labour ministry. It is a pain and incredibly frustrating. I was at the Labout Ministry at least a dozen times. But if you want my advice then feel free to call me and I'd be happy to help. Send me a private message if you want to chat and I'll send you my phone number. Hang in there. There are plenty of people who are willing to help.