Leaving your agency to go independent — the right way
How to leave a support work agency the right way: notice, contracts, restraint clauses, timing, references and setting up your business — without burning bridges.
Set up before you leave, not after
Read your contract before you do anything
Understand non-solicitation and restraint clauses
Give proper notice
Timing your exit
Hand over professionally
Keep your references and relationships
Don't burn bridges — it's a small sector
Frequently asked questions
How much notice do I need to give my agency?
Give the notice period in your employment contract or the relevant award — commonly one to four weeks depending on your role and length of service. Put it in writing and work it out properly. Leaving without notice can breach your contract and damages the references and goodwill you'll want as an independent.
Can my agency stop me going independent?
No. You're free to work for yourself. What your contract may limit, for a reasonable time, is actively soliciting the agency's clients or staff, or using its confidential information. Read your contract, avoid poaching, and get advice on any restraint clause — but leaving to work independently is your right.
Should I tell my agency why I'm leaving?
You don't have to give detailed reasons. A short, professional resignation saying you're pursuing a different path is enough. Avoid listing grievances, even valid ones — it rarely helps and can sour references. Keep the tone warm and leave the door open.
What should I set up before I resign?
Get your ABN, insurance, current screening and first aid, service agreement and invoice templates, a business bank account, and a plan for finding clients in place while you're still employed. That way you can take bookings from day one instead of starting with no income and no systems.
Can I use my agency's client list to find work?
No. Client lists, contact details and internal information are the agency's confidential information. Using them to build your business breaches confidentiality and can expose you to a genuine legal claim. Build your client base through your own marketing, referrals and participants who independently choose you.
How do I keep a good reference from my agency?
Give proper notice, work it out well, hand over participants cleanly, and don't poach clients or air grievances. Ask a supervisor whether they'd act as a reference before you leave, while goodwill is high. Coordinators and managers who respect how you left will keep referring you for years.