Some City Council members were impressed Thursday with improvements the Administration for Children's Services has made in the wake of high-profile child deaths.

ACS Commissioner John Mattingly testified at City Hall that his agency is concentrating on hiring qualified candidates and giving those candidates better training. He credited a new child tracking database with identifying problems with investigations."Every manager in our field office will be assigned their own law enforcement professional to strengthen investigations in their area," Mattingly said.The commissioner also said the agency has been able to lower the caseload for each employee.

The changes come after the death of 4-year-old Quachon Brown. The agency allegedly failed to follow through on visits to the child's Bronx home. He was allegedly beaten to death last year by his mother's boyfriend; both face charges.

Brown's deaths came after the January 2006 beating death of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown, no relation, in her Brooklyn home. Her stepfather and mother face charges in the case. ACS was notified about the alleged abuse by the girl's school.