Harriet Grant
harrietgrant.bsky.social
Harriet Grant
@harrietgrant.bsky.social
Journalist - mostly for the Guardian. Writing about children's rights - in the real world and online. Especially children's right to play.
harriet.grant.reporter@gmail.com
From me: Housing is being built without the right community infrastructure. This is a huge issue - it's about how we live, move, get on with our neighbours - or how we end up lonely, fragmented, unhealthy and sedentary. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘No shops, no schools’: homes in England built without basic amenities
Thousands of properties going up without access to playgrounds, community infrastructure and even doctors
www.theguardian.com
July 28, 2025 at 11:26 AM
From me - might we be seeing a real shift on space for children to play - with MPs bringing this into Parliament as an issue? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Space for children to play should be a requirement in planning law, say MPs
Parliamentary group launched alongside campaign for ‘play sufficiency duty’ that matches those in Wales and Scotland
www.theguardian.com
May 14, 2025 at 9:41 AM
A little late as new(ish) to Bluesky - but here is a story I wanted to write for a long time - the story of the men being arrested for viewing child abuse images and how they say they ended up in this darkest of places. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
‘I didn’t start out wanting to see kids’: are porn algorithms feeding a generation of paedophiles – or creating one?
More than 850 men a month are arrested for online child abuse offences in England and Wales. They come from every walk of life: teachers, police officers, doctors, TV presenters. And the numbers are r...
www.theguardian.com
May 6, 2025 at 9:01 AM
A brilliant new campaign from London Sport - with support from @playingout.bsky.social and others ...https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/18/yes-ball-games-drive-to-take-down-signs-warning-against-play-begins-in-london
Yes, ball games: drive to take down signs warning against play begins in London
Charity says thousands of signs on capital’s estates deter children from being active, and is covering some of them up
www.theguardian.com
March 18, 2025 at 11:56 AM
We have to be so careful with the way we talk about girls and play - girls face a barrage of stereotypes from the moment they can walk (and before! with tedious pink baby grows!) - we need MORE football and skate parks and we need to be looking at how to help girls take up space on them.
Crazy that girls today are still (or again) having to battle such sexism and stereotyping. In similar vein, can we also recognise that many girls want to play sport/skateboard etc and not just have “places to sit”?! www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2491486...
York girls football club accused of cheating - because some players have short hair
Girls in the York Railway Institute AFC U12 team are standing up against harassment after being accused of being boys - because some have short hair.
www.yorkpress.co.uk
February 11, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Reposted by Harriet Grant
“It would be lovely to extend the playground on to the highway, but it simply isn’t practical ... It’s no place for a playground.”

Surely a dense, car-dominated neighbourhood is exactly where we should be acting to carve out space for play?

More great stuff from @harrietgrant.bsky.social.
February 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Yesterday I wrote about the high court victory for Tower Hamlets mayor versus the LTN campaigners - they were protecting 3 popular LTNs where children play and older people now sit out and chat. They lost that fight to the rights of drivers. This is the reality of that context.
"Sacrifices" sticker coming tomorrow.
December 18, 2024 at 1:18 PM