Seven individuals and groups were honoured on Friday for their efforts in helping people who experience violence at home.

The winners include a police officer, social workers, counsellors and teachers.

Ms Low Yen Ling, Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, presented the winners with the Family Violence Dialogue Group Appreciation Awards, which were first introduced in 2008.

Ms Low said of the winners: "Each and every one of them has set a very good example of how we can all come together to bring about positive changes for affected families and children."

She was speaking at the National Family Violence Networking Symposium at the Singapore Expo.

The number of child and elderly abuse cases at home has been "relatively stable" over the past three years, she added. Less than 240 cases of child abuse and about 200 cases of elderly abuse have been reported annually during this period.

"Having said that, we must continue to improve our preventive and remedial efforts. Why? Because each case of abuse is one case too many," she said.

The symposium, organised by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and Singapore Police Force, aims to facilitate partnership among agencies against family violence.

It was attended by 500 professionals in different fields such as education, healthcare and social services.