J.K. Rowling established Lumos to support children’s rights.
The organization began in 2005 as the Children’s High Level Group, created by Rowling and the politician Emma Nicholson. Its work focused on children separated from their families and living in institutions, including orphanages and residential facilities.
The group was renamed Lumos in 2010. The name refers to a light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books, but the charity’s real-world work centers on family-based care, social services, education, and reform of institutional systems.
Lumos argues that children generally do better when they can grow up safely in families or family-like settings rather than in large institutions. It has worked internationally with governments, practitioners, and communities. Rowling has donated proceeds from related publications and other fundraising efforts to charitable causes, including Lumos.