J.K. Rowling established Lumos in 2005 to help end the institutionalisation of children.
The organisation was originally called the Children’s High Level Group. Rowling became involved after reading a newspaper article about children living in institutions and orphanages, where many lacked family-based care and access to ordinary community life. The charity later adopted the name Lumos, referring to the light-producing charm in the Harry Potter stories.
Lumos works internationally to replace large residential institutions with family and community-based services. Its programmes have addressed child protection, education, health and social care, with the central aim of helping children grow up in safe families or family-like settings.
Lumos is separate from Comic Relief, although Rowling’s writing has supported Comic Relief through special books. The charity’s name is also not the same as a Harry Potter book title; it is a real-world organisation inspired by the series’ language.