We have a 6 year old girl placed with us, she’s been with us since March. She went bed 15 minutes ago but is just crying lay in bed as she’s “scared” (she won’t tell me why she’s scared). A few months back this exact same thing happened and she was awake all night.
Oh bless her, has she got a night light? Perhaps listening to music or story CD or a story on the insight timer might help her settle and you can get some sleep too.
Do you have a sleeping bag and a torch. Allow the child to take responsibility for the items. Say it’s to make her feel safe. And she can only have a book to read with the torch. Until she falls a sleep. Obviously a cherished cuddly toy. You could also read a story with her and let her hold the torch.
If you have no sleeping bag try to get her to wrap her sheet/duvet closed to her body.
As looking after - looked after children is complicated. Because foster carers don’t always have full histories on children being placed. Nether do local Authority is a case of a process of illumination. Which I’m sure you are more than aware.
As you keep you daily diary you will build a picture. On the things you have tried. If a child is referred to a therapist this will be of great help.
I suggest you speak with your supervising social worker.
You are doing the best you can and reaching out for assistance. Unfortunately, there will be time you will never find the answer. But to opt for the best solution. i.e. look for how many hours sleep could you live with in the long term. There could be many reasons the children wants all your attention. There is a genuine reason for the disruption to sleep. The child is unable to adequately articulate what they need.