J.K. Rowling’s charity Lumos was founded as the Children’s High Level Group in 2005.
Rowling helped establish the organization with politician Emma Nicholson after becoming concerned about children living in large institutions. The charity worked to promote family-based care and improve conditions for children separated from their families.
The organization changed its name to Lumos in 2010. The new name refers to the light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books, although the charity’s work is focused on real-world child welfare rather than fiction.
Lumos campaigns internationally to end the institutionalization of children and support community and family care. Its name is often associated with Harry Potter because of Rowling’s involvement, but it operates as an independent charitable organization. The 2005 founding date refers to the original Children’s High Level Group, not the later rebranding as Lumos.