J.K. Rowling founded Lumos in 2005 to help end the institutionalization of children.
The organization was originally called the Children’s High Level Group. Rowling became involved after reading a newspaper article about children living in institutions, and she helped establish the charity with the aim of improving children’s rights and family-based care.
Lumos works internationally to replace orphanages and other institutions with family and community-based support. Its name refers to a light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books, but the organization’s work concerns real-world child welfare, social services, and deinstitutionalization. It is distinct from Rowling’s charitable foundation, Volant Charitable Trust.