Foreword by JK Rowling - Founder and Chair of the Board of Trustees

2013 was a year of significant achievement by Lumos on multiple levels, reflecting the scope and expertise of our team of dedicated professionals.

We reached the encouraging point where the child population of institutions in Eastern European nations in which we work has reduced by nearly 40% over the last five years; the figure in Moldova is a remarkable 62%. This means institutions are closing and many thousands of children are returning to their families, homes and communities.

Our teams, harnessing professional expertise, intervened to help save the lives of scores of children who were at risk of death from malnutrition in institutions. Supported by Lumos, young people with intellectual disabilities presented their demands for change in their lives at international conferences. In Moldova, 40% of schools now have staff dedicated to the special educational needs of children who might previously have been in institutions – thanks to Lumos’ influence. These are but a few of 2013’s achievements, as we have demonstrated robust, workable models that have been replicated in a number of countries.

Deinstitutionalisation (DI) – the technical name for a life-enhancing process that transforms children’s lives - is not just about closing buildings. It is about the reform of entire care systems, to ensure they are able to meet the needs of ALL children and, crucially, enable families to stay together. This needs funding and political will which is why our work at the international level is so crucial to realising our vision of a world free from harmful institutions for children

In 2013 we saw the results of four years of collaborative diplomacy and advocacy to ensure that European Union funding for Member States must be used to build family and community-based care. We have already influenced the use of more than €367 million and there is huge potential to influence the use of humanitarian aid to end institutionalisation worldwide.

This year also saw significant growth for Lumos as an organisation. We have hard-working teams in Bulgaria,Moldova and Czech Republic and we look forward to a time when we can build on our initial work in Ukraine.At the same time, we are preparing to take our mission onto the global stage. Our operations in the UK have been enhanced to provide support for our international teams.

We have always aimed to be a reliable ‘critical friend’ to nations seeking to close institutions – an authoritative,expert guide through a complex process. Our 2013 achievements show just how expert and influential Lumos
has become. There is still much to be done to transform the lives of eight million children in institutions worldwide – including raising awareness and challenging the misconception around the world that orphanages are ‘necessary’ and ‘good’ for children in adversity, which they are not.

The evidence from 2013 fills me with confidence that Lumos – with the invaluable, continuing support of our partners and donors – will meet those challenges admirably.