Documentary puts disability care in the spotlight
In the VPRO series, Nicolaas Veul spends 100 days at a care park for people with severe intellectual disabilities.
The five-part series Zoals het komt: 100 dagen in de gehandicaptenzorg follows documentary-maker Nicolaas Veul during a placement at a care park. The series aims to show how residents, relatives and support workers deal with intensive care and difficult-to-understand behaviour.
VPRO has been broadcasting the series on NPO 3 since 16 September; all episodes are also available via NPO Start. Veul spends 100 days at a site with so-called VIC homes, short for Very Intensive Care. According to the programme-makers, they house people who need intensive support for life.
The documentary takes a personal approach. Veul works alongside staff and tries to make contact with residents, their family members and care workers. As a result, it is not only about the organisation of care, but also about dependence, human dignity and what good support means.
This makes the series accessible to viewers who know little about the sector. At the same time, a personal documentary is not an investigation into the quality of disability care as a whole. The experiences of the residents and staff who appear cannot simply be extrapolated to all care institutions or all forms of intensive support.
The makers describe the residents as people with severe intellectual disabilities and behaviour that can be difficult for those around them to understand. That wording underlines the need for specialised support, but also carries a journalistic risk: people may be seen primarily as care cases, while they also have lives, preferences and relationships of their own.
The public programme description provides no extensive information about how residents' consent, privacy and say in the production were arranged. This does not mean that such safeguards are absent, but it does mean that viewers cannot draw that conclusion from the description. Particularly for people who may not be able to give consent independently, that context is relevant.
The series may therefore have two effects. It can make a little-seen sector easier to understand and prompt appreciation for residents and staff. But it can also create expectations that simplify reality. The public debate should therefore not end with the question of whether the documentary presents a positive image, but should also address agency, staffing and the limits of filming in a care environment.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The series shows a specific care site and is not representative research into disability care as a whole.
- The public programme description does not provide a complete picture of the consent and privacy procedures.
- The series covers residents as well as care workers and relatives.
Left
Arguments Public attention for intensive care is valuable, but residents must not be reduced to vulnerable cases. Their say and dignity must carry more weight than the value of a compelling television image.
Values Equality, protection of vulnerable people and public responsibility.
Consequences More attention can lead to better care and employment conditions, but without strong safeguards it can also lead to stereotyping or instrumentalisation.
Centre
Arguments A personal documentary can increase understanding, provided it is supplemented by transparency about consent, oversight and the broader figures for the sector.
Values Balance, professional care and public accountability.
Consequences The series can deepen the discussion without one production being used as a general judgement on the sector.
Right
Arguments The sector should be visible in all its complexity, including the burden on staff and the need for clear professional boundaries. Protection should not mean that difficult situations remain unseen.
Values Responsibility, realism and room for professional expertise.
Consequences A fairer portrayal can increase support for specialised care, but excessive emphasis on incidents can damage trust instead.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The factual basis comes from the programme-makers and an independent programme page. Interpretations about representation and privacy are clearly presented as analysis.
- confirmed The series is a five-part VPRO production that can be seen on NPO 3 and NPO Start from 16 September 2026. — VPRO and Ziggo Entertainment mention the broadcast date, channel and number of episodes. source
- confirmed Nicolaas Veul spends 100 days on placement at a care park. — This is stated in VPRO's official programme description. source
- confirmed The series is about residents with severe intellectual disabilities and difficult-to-understand behaviour. — This description is used by VPRO. source
- confirmed The public programme description provides no extensive information about consent and privacy. — Review of the public programme pages consulted. source
Editor's note
The makers, broadcast date, channel, format and target audience of the series are certain. Public sources say little about consent, privacy and effects on the sector's image.Sources
- Trailer Zoals het komt: 100 dagen in de gehandicaptenzorg — VPRO
- Zoals het komt: 100 dagen in de gehandicaptenzorg — Ziggo Entertainment