J.K. Rowling founded Lumos to support children’s rights in institutions.
The organization began in 2005 as the Children’s High Level Group and was renamed Lumos in 2010. Its work focuses on ending the institutionalization of children and helping governments develop family- and community-based care instead. The charity operates internationally and advocates for children who are separated from families or placed in residential institutions.
The name Lumos comes from the Harry Potter world, where “Lumos” is a wand-lighting spell. The connection is a memorable branding detail, but Lumos is a real charitable organization rather than a fictional institution from the novels.
Lumos is sometimes confused with large general children’s charities such as Save the Children or Comic Relief. Those organizations have different histories and structures. The distinctive answer here is Lumos, founded from Rowling’s concern about children growing up without family-based care.