British family under threat as one in three lives affected by divorce

One in three has seen either their own marriage or relationship break down or that of their parents.

If grandparents and stepparents are included, the figure rises to 50 per cent.

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The figures were revealed by state-funded Fathers Direct, a campaign group on fatherhood.

They come at a time of rising concern about the role of family breakdown in crime, violence and disorder.

Children whose parents are divorced or separated are more likely to do worse at school or encounter health problems than those who stay together.

Although Government figures show divorce rates are at their lowest level for two decades, they do not take into account the growing numbers of couples choosing to live together.

There are thought to be around two million cohabiting partners in the UK, with the average live-in relationship lasting nearly three years.

One in ten children lives with cohabiting parents and a quarter live with a single parent.

Last month David Cameron launched a passionate defence of marriage, claiming family breakdown is the chief cause of society's ills.

The Tory leader opened up the political debate about marriage and family stability for the first time in decades by pledging tax incentives to encourage parents to marry and stay together.

He also criticised the tax credit benefit system, which pays more to parents living apart than those who stay together.

Mr Cameron said: "In particular we need to create the right social pressures, applying the full force of shame to fathers who run away.

"The point I'm making is a commonsense one, which is that children do better on the whole when mum and dad are there to bring them up.

"It's not an issue about morality or religion - it's just based on the evidence."

Karen Woodall, of the Centre for Separated Families, which commissioned the research used by Fathers Direct, said: "Family separation is often talked about in terms of teenage mothers and absent fathers.

"But family separation is actually a fact of life in the UK across the whole of society.

"If you add in all the grandparents of children whose parents are separated and of adults partnering other separated parents, it is likely that divorce and separation is an issue affecting half the population.

"Increasingly, children continue to have contact with both parents.

"If this is handled well, then the outcome for children improves significantly. "But where there is ongoing conflict, children can be damaged."

Miss Woodall also called for more state support to help separated and divorced families.

But Robert Whelan, of the Civitas think tank, said family break-up was too big a problem for state help to resolve.

"Welfare states can help a minority who get into trouble, but only if most people are able to manage their affairs," he added.

"The state might be able to pour in money and bombard children with help if there were a small proportion of broken families, but it can't cope with a problem on this scale.

"What is needed is for mothers and fathers to stick together until their children have grown up and left home."

The results of the study were published alongside the Putting Children First guide, which offers advice to separated parents, including tips on how to ease conflict and help children after a family breaks down.

The guide recommends separated couples avoid making children meet a new boyfriend or girlfriend within the first few months of the end of the parents' relationship.

They should also keep a picture of their ex in their home and encourage children to talk about their absent father or mother.

Divorced and separated parents should never ask their children to act as messengers to avoid talking or dealing with their former spouse or partner, it adds.