{"podcast":{"title":"The Forgotten Podcast","slug":"the-forgotten-podcast-435207","podcast_index_feed_id":435207,"rss_url":"https://theforgottenpodcast.libsyn.com/rss%20","website_url":"http://www.theforgottenpodcast.org","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/f/c/b/4/fcb4a1be4d8d7b4d40be95ea3302a6a1/The-Forgotten-Podcast-Cover-July-2022.jpg","author":"The Forgotten Initiative","episode_count":319,"summary":"We want to see people everywhere supporting the foster care community and experiencing Jesus together. So, in this podcast, we are sharing the stories of the foster care community to bring awareness that leads to action!","last_synced_at":"2026-06-22T14:20:28.865388+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-forgotten-podcast-435207"},"episode":{"title":"Overcoming Fears of Saying Yes to Autism (w/Candace Smouse) Ep. 295","slug":"overcoming-fears-of-saying-yes-to-autism-w-candace-smouse-ep-295","published_at":"2026-06-08T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-forgotten-podcast-435207/overcoming-fears-of-saying-yes-to-autism-w-candace-smouse-ep-295","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-forgotten-podcast-435207","url":"http://theforgottenpodcast.libsyn.com/overcoming-fears-of-saying-yes-to-autism-wcandace-smouse-ep-295","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theforgottenpodcast/The_Forgotten_Podcast_-_Episode_295_-_Overcoming_Fears_of_Saying_Yes_to_Autism_w_Candace_Smouse_-_Mix_Revised.mp3?dest-id=400521","summary":"In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Candace Smouse, a TFI advocate from Spokane, Washington, who is a foster, adoptive, and birth mom to six kids. Fostering as a family for five years, Candace shares her journey of opening her home to children with special needs and navigating the unique joys and demands of raising her now-adopted son who has autism. She explores the common fears foster parents face when considering a special needs placement and offers insight on moving forward through the unknown with faith and expectation. Candace candidly details the realities of bringing her son home just before his fourth birthday as his fourth placement in a short span of time. She describes the initial challenges of caring for a child who was completely nonverbal, not potty trained, and struggling with behavior and severe dietary restrictions. Through her family's story, she highlights the exhausting early months, the complex dynamics and feelings of parental guilt that can surface with biological siblings, and the turning point of finding the right in-home therapeutic support. The conversation also breaks down the different levels of autism to help listeners better understand the wide spectrum of care children may require. Candace shares practical advice on how to become a \"squeaky wheel\" and fiercely advocate within the school system, utilizing resources like Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and special education accommodations. Ultimately, this episode provides deep encouragement for any caregiver feeling isolated or overwhelmed in the thick of special needs parenting. Candace points listeners toward a profound hope rooted in the Lord, reminding foster and adoptive families that they are never truly alone and that stepping into the hard places c…","meta_description":"In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Candace Smouse, a TFI advocate from Spokane, Washington, who is a foster, adoptive, and birt…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2375,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-forgotten-podcast-435207/episodes/overcoming-fears-of-saying-yes-to-autism-w-candace-smouse-ep-295/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-forgotten-podcast-435207/overcoming-fears-of-saying-yes-to-autism-w-candace-smouse-ep-295.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}