Hundreds of new caseworkers responsible for protecting Brooklyn and city children graduated Tuesday amid a call to expand their powers.

The Administration for Children's Services (ACS) graduated 230 child welfare workers. New employee Delores Furman says she joined ACS to ensure tragedies like the Nixzmary Brown case never happen again. Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R-NYC) wants to give caseworkers the power to perform criminal background checks on parents. The mayor also wants to make assaulting social workers a felony. Bloomberg believes dangerous situations are a possible reason for turnover at the ACS.

ACS worker William Morgan remains skeptical about the changes. He says the agency talked about reform after Nixzmary Brown's beating death, but he claims it was business as usual once the case dropped out of the public eye.

For footage of the mayor speaking at the ACS graduation ceremony, go to channel 612 on your iO digital box and select iO Extra.Related Information: