Hey Ladies!
So I'm pregnant and I am leaning towards leaving my agency and going private as I cannot keep all of my existing clients due to age to child ratios limitations. If I go private I can still keep my families as this way my own children do not count and I still fall under the Day Care Nursery Act. On Tuesday (after my 1st appointment) I am sending home a letter informing the families of my pregnancy, giving them my action plan, and purposing to them the idea of moving private and asking for their feedback. I really enjoy all of my families so if they all say they don't want me to go private then I will stay with the agency and will have to decide who to terminate. However, I have a feeling that they will all agree to follow me to private because I have cared for them all for quite some time and also they will be saving money as I will be lowering their fees as it only seems fair.

What my questions for you are:
1) Have any of you gone from an agency to private?
2) What type of things do you recommend me to do in order to prepare to go private?
3) How much is a reasonable time for me to make the transition? (I was thinking of doing it in August)
4) What are must have's in my contract? (deposit, 2 wk notice for time off, notice for termination and visa versa, sick policy, behaviour management, fee schedule - anything else?)
5) Any other things I should do to cover my bases?

I'm working on a contract, getting equipment replaced that the agency provided, gonna change all my advertisements when the decision is 100%, already spoke with the agency and confirmed that there is no clause preventing me from keeping my existing clients.

Am I missing anything?
TIA

Ps. I really enjoy the agency I work for but I truly can't afford to give up a full time space. My overall decision will be based on what's best for me and my family obviously but I still want to include all of my day home families in this decision as we have always been really open with each other. I'm nervous because this business always feel like a game of chess because in all reality you never really know what people think or will do. Here's hoping it goes smooth