J.K. Rowling established Lumos in 2005 to help end the institutionalization of children.
The organization was originally founded as the Children’s High Level Group. Rowling became involved after reading a newspaper article about children in institutions, and the charity focused on replacing large residential institutions with family- and community-based care.
It was renamed Lumos in 2010. The name refers to the light-producing spell “Lumos” in the Harry Potter books, but the organization’s work is a real-world child-welfare campaign. Its stated focus includes helping children leave institutions and supporting family-based alternatives.
Lumos is not a publishing imprint or a Harry Potter fan organization. It is an international charity associated with children’s rights and social care reform. The charity’s name is often linked to the fictional spell, but its mission concerns the treatment and placement of vulnerable children.