Existing conceptual and policy upstanding of prevention draw on the work of Hardiker et al. undertaken during the 1980s and 1990s. This article considers the changing landscape for child welfare provision and argues the value of developing new understanding that reflect contemporary practice and policy contexts. Building on the analysis of data gathered during the National Evaluation of the Children's Fund (NECF), this article suggests that new and different understandings of prevention can be explored when located within a contemporary context of social exclusion. The article suggests that a framework based on the work of NECF provides a useful way forward for the development of prevention policy and will enable partitioners to reflect on their activities and roles.