What was the original name of J.K. Rowling’s charity Lumos when it was founded in 2005?

J.K. Rowling’s charity Lumos was originally called the Children’s High Level Group.

Rowling helped establish the Children’s High Level Group in 2005 with politician and children’s rights advocate Emma Nicholson. Its early work focused on improving conditions for children separated from their families and challenging the widespread use of institutional care.

The organization later changed its name to Lumos. The new name refers to a spell in the Harry Potter books that produces light, symbolizing the charity’s aim of bringing children out of institutions and into family-based care.

Lumos remains associated with international child-protection work. Its campaigns emphasize that children generally need stable family relationships and individualized support rather than long-term placement in large institutions. The name change can make the charity’s origin easy to overlook.