J.K. Rowling founded Lumos, a charity focused on ending the institutionalisation of children.
The organisation was established in 2005 as the Children’s High Level Group and later renamed Lumos. Its work supports children and families by promoting family-based care and helping replace harmful orphanage-style institutions with community services.
The charity’s name refers to the light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books, but its work is grounded in child protection and social-care reform. Lumos has campaigned internationally against systems that separate children from families when community support could keep them safely at home.
A common mix-up is treating Lumos as a general literacy or book charity. Its central mission concerns children’s care, family support, and the transition away from institutions. Rowling has supported the organisation through donations, public advocacy, and fundraising.