The ONS research  was carried out in partnership with Loughborough University.

‘This is the first time the ONS has looked at the impact of fathers' mental health on their children as well as their mothers',' said Louise Vesely-Shore of the ONS.

‘What today's findings show is that both parents' mental health has a significant impact on a child's mental health, with mental ill-health having a negative impact on the child's school attainment, too.'

The analysis found the probability of the child experiencing mental health issues increases by 75.8% If their mother has mental ill health and by 57.8% if their father has mental ill health.

In addition, the probability of a mother experiencing mental ill health nearly triples if the child has mental health issues, from 6.7% to 19.1%. The probability of fathers having mental ill health nearly quadruples, from 4.4% to 17%, when their child experiences mental health issues.

The analysis also showed mental ill health had a negative effect on children's maths scores, both directly and through increasing their level of absence from school which in turn reduced attainment.