Leadership and community
Leadership is not just about what we do—it's about how we've been fortunate to learn from and collaborate with experts across the sector. Their insights have shaped the development of an innovative, cost-effective solution designed to improve outcomes for children, young people, and adults.
We’re proud to be breaking new ground in technology that the sector urgently needs—while staying grounded in the understanding that even the longest journey begins with a single step.
Guiding Principles
In order to deliver a smooth and seamless path to choosing, commissioning and paying for the right therapist for you or your clients needs, the solution adopts the core design principles of Security; Usability; and Automation. In this way, it delivers benefits for each stakeholder group, with no monthly subscription fees.
Security you can trust
Security has been designed in from the start with full GDPR* compliance
All therapist profiles are reviewed and qualifications checked before they are published on our platform. Edits and qualification validity are also checked to provide confidence to commissioners. All data is encrypted both in transit and at rest; client records are minimal, containing no personal data. Alias capability ensures anonymity, and aliases (or names if used) are deleted once the course is completed. No physical client documentation is held on the platform.
*GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation, a set of rules designed to give you more control over your personal data. This means we handle your information responsibly and securely, respecting your rights and ensuring your data is used only as you intend. For more information click here
Simple, clean and accessible
Ease of use is key to the user interface
The platform is designed for non-technical users with simple, uncluttered screens and clear transactional paths. No training is required and on-boarding is aided by clear stage by stage wizards.
Maximising automation and information
Automated straight-through-processing combined with full financial transparency
Course funding and payments are made automatically on the back of agreement acceptance and session completion. For therapists, a single monthly omnibus payment is made 7 days after month end for all sessions that were marked as “complete” on the platform. Financial reporting is always available on the home screen and all financial flows are designed to operate without the need for manual intervention. Earnings forecasts are updated automatically on session completion.
Our Journey
TACaccess began—quite literally—by accident.
A mountain boarding injury left our founder, Ruth, in plaster, reflecting on the challenges of accessing specialist therapy. That period of enforced rest sparked a vision: to simplify the way people find and engage with the right therapeutic support.
Launched in 2020, Team Around the Client—or TACaccess—began as a national directory for clients aged 3-25 years, helping organisations and clients choose therapists based on specific needs. The concept proved successful, but by 2023, it became clear that real, system-wide impact required more than a directory.
In 2024, we expanded our platform to become a fully integrated, end-to-end solution, combining fast and affordable access to therapy with contract and payment automation—the result is a scalable, low-cost model that delivers therapeutic support to people of all ages across various organisations.
And the journey continues…
Our Team
Our leadership team all come with long and successful careers behind them bringing the experience and diverse skills needed to make this endeavour work for all our stakeholders.
Ruth Simmonds
Co-founder and CYP Champion
An experienced educator, school governor, charity trustee and safeguarding trainer, Ruth brings over 30 years of energy and passion for improved outcomes across the full spectrum of education. LinkedIn
Julian Rose
Co-founder, Head of Communications and On-boarding
A teacher, head and senior local authority leader of over 30 years’ experience, Julian built a career around child-centred learning where families and the community are both driving and supportive allies. LinkedIn
Steve Powell
Director of Engineering
Previous co-founder of a successful business software company with global reach, Steve adds over 25 years experience in delivery of innovative solutions across a wide range of business domains. LinkedIn
Shawn McMorran
Executive Chairman
Shawn has spent his long and distinguished career partnering with talented management teams to drive growth initiatives and deliver on strategic goals in the software sector. LinkedIn