From co-sleeping to independent sleep

My 18-month-old falls asleep on me and I'm looking for any recommendations that would help us get out this habit. Does anyone have any experience switching from co-sleeping to independent sleep?

For starters I'd like for my son to fall asleep in a crib in our bedroom. As you can probably already tell, I'm not the cry-it-out type of parent. That's how we got into the habit in the first place. It was easier than rocking him. Also, I think it'll be very stressful for him if I leave the room, because when my son wakes up he is looking for someone to be present.

At the daycare he sleeps in a crib and shares a room with one more child of a similar age. The daycare provider places him in a crib and he falls asleep within 15-20 mins.