J.K. Rowling founded the charity Lumos to fight the institutionalization of children. It was established in 2005 as the Children’s High Level Group and was renamed Lumos in 2010.
Lumos works to end the institutionalization of children and promote family-based care, community services, and support for children separated from their families. The organization focuses especially on children affected by poverty, disability, conflict, and inadequate social-care systems.
The name Lumos comes from the Harry Potter series, where “Lumos” is a spell that produces light from a wand. The charity’s work is separate from Rowling’s fiction, although the name links its public identity to her best-known books. A common mistake is to confuse Lumos with fictional Hogwarts organizations such as the Order of the Phoenix.