J.K. Rowling founded Lumos to support vulnerable children worldwide.
The organisation began in 2005 as the Children’s High Level Group, created by Rowling and the Member of the European Parliament Emma Nicholson. It later adopted the name Lumos, inspired by the light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books.
Lumos campaigns to end the institutionalisation of children and promotes family-based care, community support, and reforms to child-protection systems. Its work has included projects in countries where children may be placed in institutions despite having living relatives or other family-based options.
Lumos is not a fictional organisation within the Harry Potter story. It is a real charity established by Rowling, and its name is distinct from the spell “Lumos,” which produces light in the fictional wizarding world.