The past two decades have seen remarkable advances in the manner in which youth are transitioned out of the foster care system. The most significant progress is in the way that the child welfare system relates to the youth it serves. This article provides a contextual framework for the advances in child welfare's preparation of youth for self-sufficiency and highlights the evidence and benefits of a significant cultural shift away from "doing for" toward "doing with" youth in foster care. The embracing of youth as partners, not only in individual case planning but also in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies, programs, and services, has resulted in tremendous gains for the profession as well as the youth. The author illustrates those gains on both the micro and macro levels and suggests some critical ingredients that ensure that the expertise of youth is used appropriately and thoughtfully. (Contains 11 notes.)