J.K. Rowling established Lumos in 2005 to help children in institutional care.
The organization was originally called the Children’s High Level Group. Rowling became involved after reading about children living in institutions, and the charity later adopted the name Lumos, taken from the Harry Potter books’ light-producing spell. Its work focuses on replacing harmful institutional systems with family- and community-based care.
Lumos is not a fictional organization and is separate from Comic Relief and BBC Children in Need. Those are major charities with different origins and missions. Rowling’s charitable work has also included support for multiple sclerosis research and other causes.
The charity’s name references light, but its real-world work concerns children’s rights, family separation, and social care. Its campaigns have addressed the dangers of large residential institutions, especially for vulnerable children.