What was the original title of J.K. Rowling’s charity before it became Lumos?

Before it became Lumos, J.K. Rowling’s charity was called the Children’s High Level Group.

The organization was established in 2005 after Rowling responded to reports about children living in institutions. Its early work concentrated on improving the lives of children in institutional care and encouraging governments to develop alternatives that keep children in families or family-like environments.

The name changed to Lumos in 2010. That new name refers to “Lumos,” a light-producing spell in the Harry Potter universe, and it reflects the charity’s stated aim of bringing children out of institutions and into safer family settings. The original name is therefore a historical name, not a separate Rowling charity.

This detail is easy to miss because most modern references use Lumos exclusively. It is also easy to confuse the organization with Rowling’s other philanthropic activities, including donations connected with multiple sclerosis and poverty relief. The Children’s High Level Group was the charity’s earlier identity before its later international branding and expanded advocacy work.