J.K. Rowling founded Lumos in 2005 to support children’s rights and end the institutionalization of children.
The organization was originally established as the Children’s High Level Group after Rowling read a newspaper article about children living in institutions. It later adopted the name Lumos, taken from a light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books.
Lumos campaigns for family-based care and works with governments and organizations to replace institutions with community services. Its focus includes children separated from families because of poverty, disability, or social disadvantage.
The charity’s name is sometimes mistaken for a fictional Harry Potter organization. Lumos is a real nonprofit, while the spell “Lumos” is used by characters to produce light. The shared name reflects Rowling’s interest in using the series’ imagery for advocacy.