YOUTH 2020 - The position of young people in Slovenia

248 Figure 7.2: Estimated age of leaving the parental household, 2010-2019. 24.5 25.5 26.5 27.5 28.5 29.5 30.5 31.5 31 31.8 30.1 27.7 27.2 26.2 25.4 29.7 29.7 28 26.5 25.5 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Croatia Italy Slovenia Hungary EU-27 (from 2020) Austria Source: Eurostat, 2020. Compared to 2010, Slovenian young people leave their parental home much earlier. In the period 2010-2019, the average age of leaving parental home declined from 29.5 to 27.7, and is thus much closer to the EU average (26.2). The decision or the ability to leave the parental household depends on various circumstances, which are related, for example, to enrolment in education, labour market insecurities, financial (in)dependence and costs of living. Other very important aspects are young people’ personal relations to their family or close relatives, as well as their personal values. In this respect, leaving the parental household earlier can be associated with young people’s individualization, which is evident in their values and attitudes. However, it is also important to bear in mind the factor of improvements in economic conditions and the consequent trend of lower youth unemployment rates (in a 2010 youth survey the unemployment rate was 14.7%, while in 2019 it was only 8.1%).