A child carrier utilized to carry a child on the back of an adult is described. The child carrier includes a rigid frame having front and rear sections. The front section, adjacent to the user's back, comprises a pair of rigid columnar members joined at their top ends by a rigid yoke. In preferred embodiments, the yoke has slots formed therein to serve as a handle and to provide connecting points for the shoulder straps. A child restraint system is described wherein a floating loop is formed by the interconnection of the shoulder straps and the crouch strap. A rigid canopy is described comprising arcuate rigid members that connect to the front and rear sections of the rigid frame, and a flexible hood. A waist belt assembly is also described that permits a waist belt to be adjusted vertically to account for different builds of various users.