J.K. Rowling established Lumos in 2005 to help vulnerable children. The organization was originally called the Children’s High Level Group before adopting the name Lumos in 2010.
Lumos campaigns to end the institutionalization of children and promote family-based or community-based care. Its work addresses children who are separated from families because of poverty, disability, conflict or other forms of vulnerability.
The charity’s name refers to the light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books. The reference is symbolic: Lumos presents its mission as helping children move from institutions toward safer, family-oriented environments.
Lumos is separate from Comic Relief, UNICEF and Shelter. Those organizations also work on social or humanitarian issues, but they are not the charity Rowling founded. Rowling has supported Lumos through public advocacy, fundraising and philanthropic work.