A family history of mental illness is the most important known risk factor for the development of mental health problems. Up to 50% of children with a mentally-ill parent will develop a mental disorder in their life. In clinical practice, this intergenerational transmission of risk for mental illness is rarely taken into account, and in health care settings, family histories of mental illness are not adequately considered in diagnosis and care, leading to delays in diagnosis and missed time for protective measures and strengthening resilience. Furthermore, parents with mental illness are often unaware of the impact their condition can have on their children's well-being, are less able to reflect on their role and style as a parent, and rarely discuss this with health care professionals. This project aims to better understand the mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of mental illness. The ALSPAC data, together with data from other cohorts, will be used (i) to identify early risk and resilience factors, (ii) to predict who is likely to be diagnosed or develop symptoms of mental illness and (iii) to better define the role of genetics, epigenetics and brain metrics in the routes of transmission. This may lead to the development of new preventive strategies that can break the intergenerational cycle of mental illness and support the building of strength and resilience.