A load-limited seat base (12) for a child safety seat (10) including an attachment element carried by the seat base for attaching the seat base to a seating element, and a transversely-extending load absorbing assembly positioned in the base and cooperating with the seating element to permit the seating element to be selectively positioned in a recline position and an upright position relative to the base. The load absorbing assembly includes an elongate deforming member (34) and a positioning block (26) having at least a first recline position and second upright position corresponding to the recline position and the upright position within which the deforming member is positioned. The deforming member is selectively positionable in the positioning block to position the seating element in the selected recline or upright position. The deforming member in either the recline or upright position is positioned such that an acceleration of the base causing a load of predetermined severity deforms the deforming member against the positioning block at a controlled rate, reducing the acceleration and thus the load on the seating element.
